Water shedding device for washing machines and the like



Julyl 18, 1933c J. MIKULASEK WATER SHEDDING DEVICE FOR WASHING MACHINES ANDVTHE LIKE Filed March 19l 1950 Patented July 18, .1933 l UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE JOHN MIKULASEK, OF NEWTON, IOWA, ASSIGNOR TO THE MAYTAG COMPANY, Ol'

NEWTON, IOWA, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE WATER SHEDDING DEVIC FOR WASHING MACHINES AND THE LIKE Application led March 19, 1930. Serial No. 437,248.`

such novel device associated with the driving means in a washing machine.

A mong the objects of the invention is to` provide novel means in a washing machine for preventing leakage of water freni the interior of the machine into the driving means therefor and/or diverting, deflecting and draining any water which may have seeped or leaked into the housing for .said means and prior to its having become mixed with the lubricant packed about movable parts of said driving means.

The invention comprehends the idea of providing a novel means for journalling the upper portion of a drive shaft for a gyratator or other agitating means of the washing machine and in a housing for said drive shaft, which bearing prevents any substantial leakage of water from the machine into the housing and which would seep or iiow into the driving mechanism of the shaft, as likewise, to provide novel means for deilecting, diverting and draining any water which may have passed said journalling means Ibefore the same may enter the housing of the drive shaftl mechanism and to drain the same by way of a passage or the like from the interior of said shaft housing to the exterior of said machine.

Inthe speciiic embodiment selected to illustrate the novel invention, the gyratator drive shaft is provided with a housing in which is mounted at the upper part thereof, a novel bearing, to be more fully described, below which and associated. with the shaft and housing are two overlapping members. One of these members is mounted on the. Shaft and is provided with a skirt portion overlapping a gland member mounted in the housing and which has a part fitting about the shaft and pressing against a packing mounted on said shaft. The shaft housing is provided withv an opening adjacent these members and which communicates with the exterior of the v machine. Any water which may have seeped or leaked through thebearing is deflected byl way of these members to the opening and thence to the exterior of the machine Without having'entered the housing of the driving mechanism of the drive shaft.

Other objects, advantages, capabilities and features are comprehended by the invention as will later a pear, and as are inherently possessed there f y Referring to t e drawing:

The figure is a fragmentary view in vertical cross section of a-washing machine showbeing provided with an upstanding annular ange 5 `for supporting a gyratator or agitator 6, and in 'which is pressed or mounted av tubular housing 7 adapted to enclose the The upper end of the drive shaft 1 is journailed,v wlthin a bearing member 8 (to be vmore fully disclosed) which in turn is mounted in the upper yend of the sleeve 7, this shaft extending upwardly` and beyond the bearing member and having a non- `circular driving element 9 secured thereon as by way of a pin 10 or thelike. The driving element 9 1s adapted to be received in and drive a member 11 coupled therewith which is pressed in or mounted in the end of a tubular housing 12.

This tubular housing 12 extends downwardly and encloses the drive shaft housing 7 which is provided with an annular collar 13 pressed or mounted over the lower portion thereof, this collar being adapted to provide bearing for the lower end of said tubular housing 12 when same is in operative position for operating the gyratator or agitator 6. The gyratator 6 is provided with a hub 14 adapted to be mounted on the lower end of the tubular housing 12 and to be operated therewith.

The lower end of the shaft 1 is journalled in a bearing 15 in al housing 16 which is suitably secured to the central plate 4 and which encloses mechanism (not shown) for oscillating a sector 17 having teeth meshing with the teeth of gear 18. This gear has integral therewith a clutch element 19, a bushing 2O being fitted within a longitudinal bore thereof for loosely mounting this integral structure on the shaft 1.

Another clutch element 21 having a hub 22 is provided and is secured to the shaft 1 by means of a pin 23 or the like.. A bifurcated arm or shifter 24a is provided for slidably moving the clutch element 19 into and out of engagement with the clutch element 21 for operating the drive shaft 1 and gyratator 6. The mechanism for driving the shaft 1 and enclosed within the housing 16 is packed in grease or other suitable lubricant and it is Y important that noI water or moisture enter the same.

Although thenovel bearing 8 (to be later described) will prevent substantially all leakage or seepage of water from within the tub 3 into the mechanism within the housing 16, further means are provided to shed and drain any water which 'may have found passage therethrough and between the shaft and the same.

Such means comprise an upper member 24 having a hub portion 25 mounted on the shaft 1, the upper end thereof being bent inwardly to provide an annular part 26 adapted to engage in the annular groove or channel 27 of the shaft 1, for securing the member thereon. The lower part of this member 24 is flared outwardly to provide a skirt or hood portion 28 which is spaced from a lower member 29 and overlapping the same.

This member 29 has an annular part pressed or mounted in the sleeve 7, while the upper -portion thereof slopes inwardly to form a frustrum-shaped or conical lpart 30, the upper edge thereof fitting about the shaft 1 and being beneath the hood or skirt portion 28. The upper part 30 of the member 29 serves as a gland member for holding a packing 31 from movement, the packing being around the shaft and bearing or resting on the end of the hub 22 of the upper clutch member. Although I have shown a clutch member adjacent the packing 31, it is to be understood that other suitable means may be provided upon which this packingr may rest and be held from longitudinal movement along the shaft 1,

v should it be desired to dispense with the clutch Cil past the bearing 8, and which is deflected and diverted from its downward passage within the housing 7 to the exterior of the machine, where it may be collected, if desired, or allowed to drip onto the ground or floor. It will therefore be seen that any water which may enter the housing 7 will be prevented from entering or passing into the housing 16 to dilute and mix withthe lubricant within the housingI 16 and surrounding the mechanism therein The bearing 8 for journalling the upper part of the shaft 1 comprises a cage or the like 34 having a longitudinal bore into which is pressed or mounted upper and lower bushing sectionsv 35 and 36, which bushings are of a porous material or composition, such as graphite bronze or the like. The cage or outer supporting member for the bushings has enlarged end parts 37 and 38 which may be pressed or mounted within the tubular housing 7 for providing a substantially rigid journal for the sha-ft and to provide an annular chamber thereabout and between the same and the tubular housing 7.

The cage 34 has strips, such as 39 extending between the enlarged ends 37 and 38 and on opposite sides thereof to provide an integral bearing structure. vThe strips 39 are connected together by lugs '0r projections 40 and 41 on opposite sides of the cage and project outwardly into the chamber, in between which and the ends 37 and 38 are openings to the bushings 35 and 36. These projections contact with a wick 42 which lays against the tubular housing 7 and which is seated in an annular groove 43 in the lower enlarged end 38 for maintaining this wick in an upright position.

Lubricant, such as oil or the like is introduced into the annular chamber by way of an opening or bore 44 in which is secured a spring pressed plunger 45 or lother suitable means whereby the lubricant in the chamber may be replenished and which will prevent leakage 0f the same therethrough. The oil supplied to the chamber is absorbed by the wick and is likewise absorbed by the porous bushing sections 35 and 36 for properly lubricating the shaft 1 journalled therein.

This bearing likewise prevents any substantial leakage or seepage of water from the washing machine downwardly through the housing 7 and into the mechanism within the housing 16. Should there be any leakage, however, the shedding means provided within the housing 7 and associated with the shaft 1 and housing 7 and as hereinbefore set out will prevent any of such water from entering the housing 16.

While I have herein described and upon the drawingv shown an illustrative embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the latter is not limited thereto, but may comprehend other constructions, details, ar-

rangements of parts, and features without departing from the spirit thereof.

lHaving thus disclosed the invention, I c aim:

l. In a washing machine provided with anagitator, a tubular member mounted in the tub of said machine and having a passage communicating with the exterior thereof, a drive shaft for said agitator, and means associated with said shaft and member for deecting water from said member through said passage.

2. In a washing machine provided with an agitator, a drive shaft for said agitator, a housing for said shaft and having an opening communicating with the exterior of the machine, and a member carried in said housing andfitting about said shaft for deflecting wat-er entering said housing to said opening.

3. In a washing machine provided with an agitator, a drive shaft for said agitator, a housing for said shaftA and having an o ening communicating with the exterior o the machine, a member carried by said housing and fitting about said shaft, and a second member mounted on said shaft overlapping said first member, said opening adapted to receive water entering into said housing and passing over said members.

4. In a washing machine provided with an agita tor, a drive shaft for said agitator, said shaft having an annular groove, a housing for said shaft and having lan opening communicating with the exterior of the machine, a member pressed into said housing and having a part fitting about said shaft, a second member mounted on said shaft and having parts engaging in said groove, said members adapted to deflect Water entering into said housing to said opening.

5. In a washing machine provided with an agitator, a drive shaft for said agitator, a housing for said shaft and having an o ening communicating with the exterior of t e machine, a water deflecting member carried by said housing, and a packing around said shaft, said member havlng a part tting over said packing and about said shaft.

6. In a washing machine provided with an agitator, a drive shaft for said agitator, a. housing for said shaft and having an opening communicating with the exterior of the machine, a packing around said shaft, a gland member carried in said housing and fittin over said packing and about said shaft, an a second member mounted on said shaft and overlapping said gland member.

In a washing machine provided with an agitator, a drive shaft -for said agitator, said shaft provided with an annular groove, a housing for said shaft and having an opening communicating with the exterior of the machine, a packing around said shaft, a gland member mounted in said housing and fitting over said packing, and a second member mounted on said shaft, said second member having a part engaging said groove and a skirt portion overlapping said gland member.

8. In a washing machine provided with an agitator, an agitator supporting member, a

.shaft for said agitator, a housing for said shaft mounted in said support and provided with an opening, said support having a passage registering with said opening and leading to the exterior of the machine, and deflecting means associated with said shaft and housing for deflecting water within said housing to said passage.

9. In a washing machine having a tub and provided with an agitator therein, a drive shaft extending through the Vbottom of the tub and operatively connected for driving the agitator, a housing for said drive shaft and provided jwith a passage communicating with the exterior of the machine for draining away water entering into said housing, and defiecting means for deiiecting water away from said shaft and towards said passage. v

JOI-IN MIKULASEK. 

